Roller-skate.



J. L. PLIMPTON.

ROLLER SKATE.

APPLICATION FILED 13120.24, 1907.

Patented Dec.8,1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET lw/T/VEssEs v INVENTOI? Jim ealearzarma'flgvion A TTOHNEYS J. L. PLIMPTON.

ROLLER SKATE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 24, 1907.

906,281. Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

3 SHEETSSHEBT 2.

WITNESSES I INVENTOH Jmeazewzanzfizkz vivn m ra ATTORNEYS J. L. PLIMPTON.

ROLLER SKATE. APPLICATION FILED DBO. 24, 1907.

906,281. Patented Dec. s, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES v INVENTOR A TTOHNEYS V JAMES LEONARD PLH/i'PTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

some-sums.

Specification or teeters Patent.

Patented me. a, 1908.

Application filed December 24,1907, Serial No. 407,893.

T '0 all whom it may concemr 3e it known that I, JAMES Lnoxnnn PLIMP'ION, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suifolk and State of Massachusetts, have inrented a new and Improved Roller-Skate,of which the following is. a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to and is dependent upon the construction, arrangement and -mode of operation of that class of guidable curved-running roller skates as originated and first patented by me in the United States, January 6, 1863, and more particularly as improved and patented by me in England, August 25, 1865, and in the United States June 26, 1866. In this class of guidable curved-riummg roller skates the rollers are applied to the stock or foot-stand of the skate so that the said rollers may be cramped or turned, so as'to cause the skate to run in curved lines either to the rightor left by the turning, canting or tiltinglaterally of thestock or foot-stand.

To enable others skilled in the art to un- -derstand and carry my improvementinto over guidable roller skates. of the class de use, I preferably employ, illustrate and describe, transporting, guiding and adjusting parts of the best and most-extensively used modification of guidable roller skateas set forth in the patents above referred to, but do not confine the applying of my late improvements for better control to this one particular ('ronstruction of guidable roller skates, as many "ariations therefrom or many well constructed guidable roller skates may be substituted wlthout deviating from the purpose or object of m-y new and-improved skate, the object and purpose ofwhich is to give the skater. additional and better ,control scribed. A leading (mutrol of my new skate is in providingcertain further original con struetion, arrangement and adjustment of parts, which when properly constructed, a-pplied, and combined with parts of guidable roller skates of the elassfdeseribed, willenable the skater at will, to shorten, retard, or

bring to a stop, any large or small curvedglides that the skate may be making, however much or little the foot-stockor guiding portion upon which the foot stands maybe i canted laterally in either direction, without raising any of the rollers fromthe surface skated upo'n.

curved glides and the readjustment i ing portion which the foot sta: the skate, is formed of two separate members '10 and 1-1, resiliently supported in respect to each other, and one of these mem 10,- carries the front rollers and the bined in the new skate for giving more comfortable and uniform control for guiding with other means and adjustments to favor the beginner or timid skater, by changing the level of thefoot, and for changing the size and direction of the of the same as proficiency increases.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a. part of this specification, in which similar characters'of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in whlch Figure l is a side elevation of a skate embodying one simple and practical form of my invention; Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the rear portion of the skate, said section being taken on the line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an inverted plan 'view of one of the two members forming the foot-stock or stand, and the supporting plate for the rear rollers; Fig. 5 is a View of the rear end of the skate Fig. 6 is an end view showing means for adjusting the position of the heel in respect to the foot-stock; Fig. 7

is an end-view showing the adjusting means shown in Fig. 6 and employed for supporting worn heels; Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are perspeotive views, showing modified forms ofv brake shoes; Fig. 11 is an inverted plan view of the supporting plate for the front rollers, showing means for additionally adjusting it; and Fig. 12 is a vertical section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 1'1, showing in solid lines the plate adjusted. for large curves, and' showing indottedlines the plate ad usted for small curves. i

In the new. and improved skate illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I employ a foot-stock or stand having means for securing same to the foot of a skater as shown,-

; and having front and rear rollers so mounted that they may be moved out of parallelism to cause the skate to run in varying curved lines by the turning, cantin'g, or tilt.- ing laterally of the toot-stock.

In the new skate the foot-stock or means for attaching the skate to the foot,

1 j while the other. member 11- carries the rear Certain other means areadded and comrollers and the greater portion of the means :for retarding, said means being operated by the relative movement of the two members.

The weight, pressure or force employed for retarding the wheels is transferred or transmitted at or near a point of equal radial distance therefrom, having little or no mo tion in relation to the diagonal transverse rocking motion which will be found about in a line with the inclined axis, or dia onal transverse rocking motion upon who the guiding of this class of skates depends, and

so that a given length of movement of such force will, have nearly the same effect at whatever'angle' the foot-stock ma be'inclined laterally -in making very arge or very small curved glides. The member ,10 is formed of wood or any other suitable material, and; has substantlally the same general contour as the sole of the shoe. g

The shoe 12 of the skater is. the pliable medium through which the movement of the skaters foot is transferred to the foot-stock for guiding the skate. The bottom of the shoe may be made or worn rounding, or one side worn more than the other; to revent such a shoe from rockin or causing the foot to stand untruly w 'e guiding the closely upon the'foot-stock, as shown in Fig.

7. The ridge adjustin bolt on the opposite side may be raised. an adjusted, so that the worn side of the sole or heel may be raised or adjusted, thus standing the center 'of the skaters foot truly over the center of the foot-stock'however one-sided thebottom of the shoe may be worn, and thereby preventing rockin or loss of motion. The bolts are also use heel in respect to the skate-stock, in case the shoe or foot itself is twisted, as shown in Fig. 6, the retainin straps for the foot be.- ing removed to faci 'tate illustration in this figure, as well as in Fig. 7 The shoe 12 is further assisted in true, uniform and liable idance by means of adjustable strlps 15, ointed to the foot-stock so as to fold conveniently when not in use; when in use, they may be adjusted from the lower end so as to be raised from the foot-stock in' a diagonal direction, so as to fit the shoe closely and cross'one another at the small or narrow portion of the rounded back of the shoe at a point somewhat below the play of the ankle oint, and ass diagonally upward to; or near the a yond which. they are fastened by elastic or other suitable fastenings, as shownin Fig.

1. By means of these guiding strips, the ra-* direction.

in adjusting the position of the e joint, a short distance be dius. of a curved (glide may be shortened according to the a ditional assistance or leverage thereby given to the shoe while pliably 'din the skate. The shoe 12 rests uprig t on t e member 10 of the foot-stock, and the latter carries a plurality of straps or bands 13 and 14, or any other suitable means for securing the skate to the shoe.

. At the under side of the member 10 at the front end, thereis provided a member 16, termed a plate, having a downwardly-ere tending ledge'17, disposed longitudinally of the skate and having its lower surface dis-.

plosed at an an le of approximately fortyve degrees to the horizontal, which may be varied and which forms an important part for guiding this class of skates and for lateral y adjusting the "guiding axle in either The plate 16 is illustrated in Figs. 1 and =2 as being. secured directly to the foot-stock member 10, by suitable screws, but "to facilitate the adjustment I preferably insert between it and the member 10, a sheet metal late 16, shown in Figs. 11 and 12. This p ate has a centrall disposed adjustable screw 16", forming a ing the degree of inclination of the inclined axis, and also the lateral adjustment of the guiding axle in either direction. By tightenin and loosening the several screws 16, holding the late to the foot-stock, said plate maybe held rigid in the desired adjusted position. In en agement with the plate 16, there is'provided a hanger 18', comprising a transverse bar 19 and four inclined dependent bars or arms 20, 20, 20 and 20. The bar or transverse portion of the hanger is provided with a curved recess 21 in its uplcrum for changper surface, designed for the reception of the curved lower surface of the inclined ledge 17, and is provided with a journal 22, substantially in alinement with the ledge and fitting-into a recess in the plate. The hanger is secured to the plate'by means of an attaching and adjusting screw 23, ex-

' tending upwardly at substantially right a'ngles to the line of the inclined journal and edge, and extending through an opening in the plate. Upon the upper-end of the adjust-mg screw, is mounted a resilient member 24, comprisin preferably, a block of rubber. Two ro ers 25, 25 are provided between the two airs of dependent arms or bars 20, 20', and 20 20, both of the rollers being mounted on a common axle 26.

The second member 11 of the foot-stock" orstand is directly connectedto the member 10, above described, and is movable in respect thereto, said member 11 being of substantially the same :general contour as the rear ortion of the member 10. The two memers are'securely held together at the for ward end of the lower member 11, which is.

at approximately the central portion of the upper member .10, by means of a suitable and 39".

gagement with the plate by a suitable ad-- screw 27,- Fig. 2, for holding the flange 29 of the plate 11 in the slot cut across the footstock. Intermediate the ends of the lower member, it is secured to the upper member by two oppositely-disposed screws 28. The forward end of-the lower member is preferably turned up to form the flange 29, which spaces the members apart, while the central portion of the member is free to move to or from the upper member along the securing screws. The rear end of the lower member is unattached to the upper member, but is spaced therefrom by a plurality of'resilient means, preferably, in the form of soft rubber blocks 30 carried by either of the members but herein shown asibeing held from lateral movement by screwsextendingnpward from.

the lower member '11.

Rigidly secured to the 'under surface of the member 11 of the foot-stock, there-is provided a plate 31, having a downwardlyextending inclined ledge 32, correspondin to the ledge 17 on the front plate 16, an having a hanger 33 secured to the plate and in engagement with said ledge. The rear end of the hanger is provided with an upwardly-extending flange 34, adapted to fit in a groove 35 in the plate 31, and it is also provided with a journal 36, extending through an opening 37 in the plate. The ledge 32, the flange 34, and the journal 36 are all substantially in alinement, and are disposed in a general direction at a proximatelv forty-five degrees to the horizontal.

The lower hanger is provided with down wardly-extending arms 37, 37, 37 and 37, serving for the support of an axle 38, upon which are mounted the two rear rollers 39 The lower banger is held in enjusting screw 40 extending upward through a recess in the plate and carrying a resilient rubber block 41. With the han ers and plates of the skate constructedas i1 ustrated, the resilient blocks 24 and 41 normally tend to hold the front and rear axles 26 and 38 parallel and all of'the rollers in parallelism,

but as the foot-stock or stand is turned, canted or tilted to either side, the hangers are moved in respect to the corresponding plates and the rollers are brought out of parallelism, to turn the skate and guide it in a curve corresponding to the direction and plate 42, having one end thereof rigidly secured to the hanger by ascrew 43, and having the opposite end disposed adjacent the rear portion of the circumferential face of the rear rollers. The outer transverse end of this plate. constitutes a brake bar or plate, and is preferably provided with two brake shoes 44in the form of metal clips, engaging with the opposite surfaces of the brake bar at its ends and designed to be readily detached and replaced by new ones. in case they become materially worn. by simply drawing off the worn shoe and sliding on the new brake shoe of the desired thickness. In Fig. 9, I have, shown one of the brake shoes detached, while in Figs. 8 and 10, I have shown slightly modified forms 44* and 44. For normally holding the brake shoes out of'engagement with the rollers, I provide a block 45 loosely mounted on the axle 38, intermediate the arms 37 and 37*, and carrying, two screw bolts 46 extending outwardly through the brake bar or plate. The brake plate is free to move longitudinally of these screw bolts, but normally forced outward and away from the rollers by coil springs surrounding the bolts. For forcing the brake into engagement with the rollers and in opposition to the action of these springs, I provide an operating lever in the form of a plate-47, substantially triangular in form and having the base portion loosely mounted upon the screw bolts 46, and having the apex extending upward toward the footward and engage with the outer edges of the clips forming the brake'shoes and normally prevent the accidental displacement \of the atter. Extending downwardly from the foot-stock member 10, adjacent the rear end thereof, I provide a screw bolt 48, having a conical end normally in engagement with the inner surface of the apex of the plate 47 As the operating lever, or tapered-head screw bolt 4, are carried by se arate members of the foot-stock. it is evident that upon the compression of the rubber blocks 30 and the bringing together of the rear ends of the two foot-stock members, the tapered end of the adjusting screw will force outwardly the apex end of the operating lever, or plate 47, and force inwardly the lower end to a ply the brake. When the rounded end of the lever bears against the ridge on the conical-headed screw, the lower screws 46 formerly used as a fulcrum, will then act uniformly to bring direct pressure to bear on the brake shoes, according to the adjustment of the conical-headed adjust' screw and thev weight or pressure applie late 47, and the maybe inclined laterally in making very degree to which the resilient blocks 30 are Thus showing that the transfer of motion or pressure may be uniformly made in either of two ways at whatever angle the foot-stock small or large curves.

All of the parts forming the retarding mechanism are so constructed that they may be adjusted to cause the application of the brakes when any desired pressure is applied to the rear or heel portion of the skate. The

normally compressed when no weight is applied to the skate, is readily controlled by tightening or loosening the screws 28. To cause the brakes to apply when the resilient blockshave been compressed to any desired extent, the conical-headed screw bolt 48 may be rotated to vary its normal position in re gard to the operating lever 47. The normal distance of the brake shoes from the rollers may be controlled by loosening or tightening the screw bolts 46. For controlling the inclination of the upper surface of the plate 31 in respect to the foot-stock member 11, the two are preferably connected by a plu rality of screws 49, two of which are dis posed adjacent each end of said plate. Intermediate the two members 31 and 11 is preferably disposed a spacing member 50, the position of which may be adjusted to bring it closer to or farther from either of the sets of screws 49. The spacing member also serves as a pivot on fulcrum, whereby without changing its position, either pair of screws is loosened and the other pair tightened, so as to change the inclination of the inclined axis so as to vary the curved glides with a given turning, canting or tilting laterally of the foot-stock. The rear screws 49 preferably extend through the foot-stock member 11 a sufficient distance to normally retain the resilient blocks in place.

It is evident that the retarding mechanism may be applied so -as to act on the retarding rollers of one or both skates, and various changesmay be made in shape, size and arrangement *of the adjusting, guiding and retarding parts without departing from the spirit or object of the invention, which is to furnish means to enable one or 'more skaters to skate in very small or large curves without applying any retardation and at any time be able tomore or less shorten or: retard any or alLglides gracefully or to safely stop or stand at a predetermined point or position, and thus render possible a new order of concerted or time-measured figureskating within a much smaller space than heretofore possible.

Having thus described my invention, I-

- ing, canting or claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1; In a roller skate, a foot stock, a roller, means whereby the turning, canting or tiltskate in curved lines, a brakeadjacent said roller and adapted to'engage therewith and having a permanent relationship thereto independent of said turning, canting or tilting of the foot stock, and means for'a-pplysaid brake by a variation in the dis- 1n triution of pressure lengthwise of the foot stock.

2. In a gnidableroller skate, a foot stock, rollers, means for mounting the same whereby they may be moved out of parallelism, to cause the skate to run in varying curved lines by the turning, canting or tilting laterally of the foot stock, a brake movable with one of said rollers during said movement of the latter out of parallelism, and means for applying said brake to said rollerby a variatlon in the distribution of pressure lengthwise of the foot stock and independent of said tilting movement.

3. In a roller skate, a foot stock or stand, a plurality of pairs of rollers, means for connecting each pair of rollers to said foot stock, each of said means including two members movable in respect to each other and alon inclined axes, whereby the turntilting laterally of the'foot stock tends to guide, the skate along curved lines, and means' for universally adjusting the position of one of said members in respect to said foot stock, to vary the inclination of said axis.

4. In a roller skate, a foot-stock or stand,

comprising two 'members, means for securing one of said members to the foot of a skater, a roller carried by the other of said m J members, a brake carried by the last-mentioned member, resilient means separatin the members, and an operating lever for said brake and controlled by the relative positions of the two foot-stock members.

5. In aroller skate,'a foot-stock or stand, a plurality of pairs of rol ers, means for .connecting each pair of rollers to said footstock,'- each of said means including two members movable in respect to each other" along an inclined axis whereby the turnin canting or tilting laterally of the foot-stoc operates to guide the skate along curved lines, and means for varying the inclination of said axes longitudinally of the skate and also laterally thereof.

6. In a roller skate, a foot-stock or stand,

a plurality of pairs of rollers, means for connecting each pairof rollers to said footstock, each of said means including two members movable in respect to each other alon an inclined axis, whereby the turnin canting or tilting laterally of the foot-stoc operates to guide the skate along curved lines, a'brake for one of said pairs of rollers, and means operating substantially in alinement with one of said axes for applying saidfibrakeupon a variation in the distriing laterally of the foot stock guides the; bution of pressure on the foot-stock.

" masr 7; In a roller skate a foot-stock, a. plural ity of rollers, means or mounting the same, whereby'they may be moved out of panel-- lelism to cause the skate to run in varying 5 curved lines by the turning,-cant' or tilting laterallyof the skate, and ia fijustable means carried by said foot-stock and adapt to engage with the shoe of a skater for varying the position of the foot-stock in respect to the under surface of said shoe.-

8. In a roller skate, a foot stock, and

means for securing said foot stock to the foot of the skater, said meansincluding a flexible strap secured to said foot stock. ad 15 jacent the .heel thereof and adapted to cros the ankle of the foot, and flexible strips, I each having one end thereof secured to" said foot stock'intermediate the ends of the latter and extending rearwardly therefrom, said strips being secured together above the heel 20 of the footand extending forwardly and connected together at the front of the ankle. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I JAMES LEONARD PLIMPTON.

Witnesses: v I

HENRY R. Pmmron, 2d., LYMsN W. Gmrrm. 

